Nirbhaya lawyer Seema Kushwaha takes up Hathras case

Lawyer Seema Smridhi Kushwaha who advocated Nirbhaya case will fight the Hathras case. In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, she said that the plight of the case is disheartening even after conviction of Nirbhaya culprits and she slammed UP police's handling of the case.

New Delhi:Lawyer Seema Smridhi Kushwaha has decided to fight the case of Hathras victim. The family of the victim has also given their consent to Kushwaha to fight the case of their daughter. It is worth noting that Kushwaha had also fought the case of Nirbhaya in which all the culprits were hanged to death.

Talking to ETV Bharat exclusively, Seema Smridhi Kushwaha said that she would do her best to ensure that justice is delivered to the daughter of Hathras. She is confident that the culprits will be given punished.

Seema Smridhi Kushwaha speaks to ETV Bharat

Sharing her experience in fighting the case of Nirbhaya, Seema Smridhi Kushwaha said that the Delhi Police was quite co-operative and supportive from the day one, which helped her a lot in getting the capital punishment for the culprits. She said that in the case of Hathras daughter, the overall attitude of Uttar Pradesh police has not been professional from day one and they are trying to hush up the facts. It will, therefore, not be easy to ensure the culprits are convicted and punished, but she is confident with her evidence and information, which will help her in ensuring that the culprits get strict punishment.

Kushwaha said that among the most important instrument in proving the crime of the culprits is the statement given by the victim before her death. It is more than enough to prove the crime of the culprits. At the same time, the old enmity between the family of the victim and the culprits would also prove to be an important link in establishing the crime which was committed against the victim.

Transfer of the case to Delhi police

According to Seema Smridhi Kushwaha, the victim’s family is living in a state of terror after the tragedy hit them. Till now, the Dalit community people did not have the courage to raise their voice against those powerful in the village – upper caste people. They have now registered an FIR against them. Since then, they have been getting threats. It will, therefore, be not possible for them to fight the case in court. They are constantly worried about their own safety and security. Therefore, Kushwaha said that she would shortly file a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking the trial of the case in Delhi.

Read:UP govt asks for SC-monitored CBI probe in Hathras case

FIR against UP police should be filed

Advocate Seema Smridhi Kushwaha said that the UP Police have been very casual from day one the case came to light. She said that whatever information she has, even the SIT was not investigating the case properly. But now the CBI probe will do justice to the case and the truth will come out.

Referring to the report of Justice Verma Committee, which had been set up after the horrendous Nirbhaya case, advocate Kushwaha said that there was the recommendation of registering FIR even against the police if they are found guilty of hushing up the case. Based on the attitude of the UP Police in dealing with the case of Hathras, an FIR should be lodged against the officers for their dereliction of duty in dealing with a heinous criminal case.

No change even after Nirbhaya convicts were hanged

Lawyer Seema Smridhi Kushwaha said that she was hopeful that the conviction in Nirbhaya case would lead to some change in the society. The culprits were hanged to death and there was a general feeling that the heinous crimes would not recur. However, the way in which the Nirbhaya case was prolonged and which took us seven long years in taking the culprits to gallows, it is clear that even in Hathras case justice is not going to be delivered so swiftly.

She bemoaned that police do not make sincere efforts in taking cases to their logical conclusion and even the fast track court takes a lot of time in deciding the case. She further added that laws, which are framed by the government, are effective but only on papers. That is why the criminals do not have any fear of law even after committing heinous crimes. Still, she is confident that she would do her best to take the culprits of Hathras gang rape and murder to the gallows so that a daughter gets justice!